Review: The Amazing Spider-Man 2

Synopsis: “It’s great to be Spider-Man (Andrew Garfield). For Peter Parker, there’s no feeling quite like swinging between skyscrapers, embracing being the hero, and spending time with Gwen (Emma Stone). But being Spider-Man comes at a price: only Spider-Man can protect his fellow New Yorkers from the formidable villains that threaten the city. With the emergence of Electro (Jamie Foxx), Peter must confront a foe far more powerful than he. And as his old friend, Harry Osborn (Dane DeHaan), returns, Peter comes to realize that all of his enemies have one thing in common: Oscorp.”

Rating: PG-13 for sci-fi violence.

Must-Watch Trailer:

Review:

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 reunites the cast and crew of the 2012 reboot with the waiting audiences and fanboys that have eagerly wanted to continue the “untold story” of the installment that recast the iconic characters of the Marvel canon. Preceded by months of advertising promotion, this superhero sequel promised to bring plenty of action, adventure, villains, secrets and characters…

And in that it does not disappoint. Hit the jump for my full review.

While I really wish that Spider-Man was part of Marvel Studios’ property (to see that crossover that so many fans are anxious to see), Sony and Columbia Pictures have proven with the first two of the Raimi trilogy and now the first two of the Webb trilogy that they can make good Spider-Man films and keep fans happy. Utilizing the strengths of a great cast, including Andrew Garfield who expertly embodies the dual role of Peter Parker/Spider-Man once again, this first major sequel of the summer box office season swings the franchise to greater heights.

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About Andrew Garfield: It is his performance and his chemistry with the other characters (expressly the romance with Gwen Stacy played by the uncanny Emma Stone) that carries the film and gives even more depth to this comic book film and its characters.

One of the reasons why Spider-Man has always been my favorite superhero is because he is easy to relate to as the “everyday, just regular guy.” He struggles to make ends meet and juggles finances, relationships with girls, doing his chores, excelling in school, etc…all the while still managing to deliver bad guys to the cops and make a living taking selfies. And Garfield brings that to life so well. (All due respect to Tobey.)

This sequel, referred to by some as “an action-packed love story,” is fun and full of the wit and humor that a webhead feature is deserving of. The Amazing Spider-Man 2 uses the story of its predecessor as a springboard to reveal more of the intriguing mystery surrounding Spider-Man while simultaneously developing the beloved characters even further. Fanboys such as myself will “geek out” over the mention of characters here and there, or an iconic Spider-Man pose used or the visual clues that tease of more to come, but the story, while full of moments such as those, fails to be as well-rounded as desired.

With the main focus seemingly being that of Peter and Gwen’s relationship throughout all of the events in the film, the movie expects viewers to accept the changes and motivations of the villains that grow into their hate and maliciousness rather quickly when they occur. Prior to the film’s release, skeptics feared a repeat of Raimi’s Spider-Man 3 which featured a villainous troublesome trifecta, and, while there are essentially three villains in this film (Rhino, Green Goblin and Electro) they are balanced very well. The true villain of this film is the unbalanced multiple focuses on Peter Parker’s past, he and Gwen’s relationship, the lack of development time for new characters, the increased amount of amazing action and visuals and the subtle yet apparent use of the film to setup the announced Sinister Six movie.

It takes a while for the movie to get to all of the action “promised” via the promotional materials, however, the entire journey of the film is not lost. Fans will LOVE the quirks and antics of Garfield as Spider-Man and the included little segments that seem to come straight from transition scenes in the pages of comics. The film’s blend of chemistry and comedy works in complimenting the film as a whole. Almost having too much to see, The Amazing Spider-Man 2 still manages to be a pertinent (and exciting) part of the web that Sony is spinning for the Spider-Man franchise [there is a HUGE web of spinoff clues strung throughout the entire film!]. I thoroughly enjoyed the backstory, the story being set up, the action sequences and more. Both Jaime Foxx and Dane DeHaan were more than satisfactory in their respective parts.A few creative licenses enable Webb to set up future storylines no doubt and create the need for conversation and debate among friends and fans…and that’s a good thing. The questions that linger throughout the entire film will keep you on the edge of your seat if webslinging through NYC in 3D doesn’t!

i.e.:

“Will Norman Osborn become the Green Goblin?”

“Will Spider-Man learn who the guy is with the hat at the end credits of the first one?”

“Will the intensely teased scene of Gwen Stacy meeting her unfortunate end actually happen in this film or in a future installment?”

…and more!

Be sure to catch a viewing of this on the big screen sooner rather than later. And look for me…as I’ll be there more times than I probably should be!

My Score:3.5out of 5 stars forThe Amazing Spider-Man 2

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(Remember, to read this review of mine and over 300 more, check out THE ARCHIVE of movies I have reviewed anytime. Know before you go…or rent…or buy!)

Had a fun time with this. I do realize that it was messy and could have cut-down on plenty of subplots, but regardless, it was still a good time that I wouldn’t mind seeing again. Even if I’ll probably start to hate it once I pay close enough attention. Good review T.

I enjoyed the comedic route this one took. It was light-hearted and fun. I also agree that the love story took over too much of the movie, although I loved the chemistry between Garfield and Stone. However there were too many Villains for me, and neither got to shine like they should have. Rhino was boring, I liked Electro, but I don’t feel Foxx did him justice, Dehaan is perfect as the Green Goblin. I’m looking forward to seeing him in the next installments. I enjoyed the special effects, but the story was lacking in the middle, but ended with a bang. I enjoyed it for the most part, but I can’t lie, parts of this movie had me dozing off…smh

tbh, we can’t really count Rhino as one of the villains of the film. He was just a 2-bit criminal that gets stopped by Spidey like he stops so many others on a regular basis, and then when he is in the suit, he is still that 2-bit criminal who is used to bookend the film. I have a feeling we will see him truly as the Rhino in the next film, but he was just another crook like the car thief in the first one. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aPU8q-bni4